Cutter method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

This invention is directed to a method and apparatus to automatically increase the pressure on the cutting blade of a score cutter upon the detection of an area of increased thickness in the material approaching the cutter to be cut.

United States Patent William P. Warthen Spartanburg, S.C.

Aug. 8, 1969 Jan. 19, 1971 Deering Milliken Research Corporation Spartanburg, S.C.

a corporation of South Carolina Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee CUTTER METHOD AND APPARATUS '7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 83/56, 83/360, 83/506 Int. Cl 823d 19/04 Field of Search 83/56, 360,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,541,913 2/1951 Carter 83/506X 2,897,893 8/1959 Rockstrom et al 83/505X Primary ExaminerJames M. Meister Attorneys-Norman C. Armitage and H. William Petry ABSTRACT: This invention is directed to a method and apparatus to automatically increase the pressure on the cutting blade of a score cutter upon the detection of an area of increased thickness in the material approaching the cutter to be cut.

I 2O 24 22% v v P AIENTEU JAN 9197: 3 555945 FIG. I-

INVENTOR. WILLIAM P. WARTHEN M R W ATTORNEY CUTTER METHOD AND APPARATUS in many operations wherein running lengths of sheet material have to be severed longitudinally, a score cutter is used to perform this operation. Asis well known in the art, the term score cutter" refers to a rotary cutting blade which is held against a hardened surface to sever the material therebetween. The use of such a cutter present problems when cutting sheet material, in which, periodically, thickened portions appear in the material being cut. This isespeciallytruein the textile inefficient cutting of the fabric but is lowerthan the air pressure on the hardened backup surface and excessive down time of the apparatus to replace the blades. y

it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method andapparatus to score cut a moving sheet of material without excessive wear on the cutter.

A further objectof the invention is to provide a method and apparatus to score cut a:moving web of fabric. which will cut the seams therein,

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent as the specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is aschematic representation of the score cutting system; A

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the valve arrangement; and

FIG. 3 is a partial circuit diagram.

As discussed briefly, it is desired many times to slit a running sheet of fabric in the longitudinal direction of the fabric. Examples of such instances would beto remove the untucked selvageon a fabric from a high-speed loom or to split a woven double width fabric to provide two widths of fabric. in normal operation a number of pieces of fabric will be sewn together to form a roll of fabric. When the pieces of fabric are we sewn together therewill be an area of increased thickness which requires more cutting pressure. To solve this situation an arrangement like that shown in FlG. 1 is employed where the fabric 10 to be severed is supplied from a supply roll 12, over an idler 14, over a driven hardened roll 16 to the takeup roll 18. Cooperating with the idler roll 14 is a seam detector 20 which has a roller microswitch 22 adjacent the moving web of fabric 10. The roller microswitch is located just above the fabric and is actuated upon contact with an area of increased cutting pressure air under pressure is introduced into piston 26 through air line 28 to maintain thecutting blade against the hardened steel roll 16. Y

OPERATION Looking now to H68. 2 and 3, the operation will be explained. Under normal operation at a predetermined pressure, air is supplied through air conduits 30. pressure-reducing valve 32, normally opensolenoid-actuated air valve 34 into the air cylinder 26 through the air conduit 28. The air pressure supplied through pressure-reducing valve 36. Solenoid operated air valve 38 is a normally closed valve.

When a seam passes under the roller microswitch 22 the switch will close energizing the relay coil 40 pulling in time delay switch 42. Closing of time delay switch 42 energizes both solenoid coils 44 and 46 to reverse the position of air valves 38 and 34, thereby supglging higher pressure air to the condult 28 from air conduit pressure reducing valve 36 and air valve 38. Since air valve 34 is a normally open valve, energization of the solenoid will close the valve and stop the flow of air through 34.

As pointed out, switch 42 is a time delay switch that allows sufficient time for the detected seam to pass under and be cut by the cutting blade 24 before it opens to deenergize the solenoid coils 44 and 46 to allow the air valves 34 and 38 to reverse position to supply lower pressure air to the air cylinder 26. y it can readily be seen that l have provided a system for cutting fabric which provides only the pressure necessary to cut the fabric andat the same time provides additional pressure upon detection of a thick place in the fabric to efficiently sever this area of increased thickness. Further, the resultant product is a better grade due to the more efficient cutting thereof.

Although l have described specifically the preferred embodiment of my invention l contemplate that changes may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention and I desire to be limited only by the scope of the claims lclaim:

1. A method of score cutting a running sheet of material comprising the steps of: providing a running length of material, applying a predetermined pressure on a score cutter to score cut the running length of material in the longitudinal direction thereof, sensing an area of increased thickness in said running length of material and momentarily increasing the pressure on said score cutter to cut the area of increased thickness.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein air pressure is applied to said score cutter.

3. Apparatus to score cut a running length of material cornprising: means supplying a running length of material, score cutting means operably associated with the running length of material, means to detect an area of increased thickness in the running length of material, meansto apply a predetennined pressure to said score cutting means and means to momentarily increase the pressure on said score cutting means upon the detection of an area of increased thickness in the running length of material.

4. The structure of claim 3-wherein said means to detect an area of increased thickness is a seam detector.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said seam detector. includes a roller microswitch adapted to contact the running length ,of material.

6. The structure of claim 3 wherein said means to apply pressure to said score cutting means is an air cylinder.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said means to apply pressure includes a pneumatic control circuit. 

1. A method of score cutting a running sheet of material comprising the steps of: providing a running length of material, applying a predetermined pressure on a score cutter to score cut the running length of material in the longitudinal direction thereof, sensing an area of increased thickness in said running length of material and momentarily increasing the pressure on said score cutter to cut the area of increased thickness.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein air pressure is applied to said score cutter.
 3. Apparatus to score cut a running length of material comprising: means supplying a running length of material, score cutting means operably associated with the running length of material, means to detect an area of increased thickness in the running length of material, means to apply a predetermined pressure to said score cutting means and means to momentarily increase the pressure on said score cutting means upon the detection of an area of increased thickness in the running length of material.
 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said means to detect an area of increased thickness is a seam detector.
 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said seam detector. includes a roller microswitch adapted to contact the running length of material.
 6. The structure of claim 3 wherein said means to apply pressure to said score cutting means is an air cylinder.
 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said means to apply pressure includes a pneumatic control circuit. 